Device for taking foot impressions.



G, G. ROSINO. DEVICE FOR TAKING FOOT IMPRESSIONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR- 28,1916.

Patented May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I GILBERT G. BOSINO, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR TAKING FOOT IM PRISSIONS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1917.

Application filed March 28, 1916. Serial No. 87,288.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GILBERT G. ROSINO, a citizen of the United States,residing at Sandusky, in the county of Erie and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Taking FootImpressions, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in devices designedparticularly for taking foot impressions to determine size andconfiguration or abnormal conditions of the foot which will serve as aguide in the manufacture and fitting of footwear.

The essence of the invention lies in the provision of an ink carryingmember so ar .ranged as to be readily movable into cooperative positionwith respect to an impression-receiving surface for the purpose ofimprinting thereon what are known as skiagraphs by pressure of the footon said carrying member, means being employed to effectively ink thismember incident to its movement to and from operative position.

For a full understanding of the present invention, reference is to behad to the following description and the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus constructed in accordancewith my invention, a portion being broken away to show more particularlythe specific arrangement of parts.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the device.

Figs. 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views on the lines 3-3, and 44=respectively of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the ink carrying mem er.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of the ink distributing element as slightlymodified.

Throughout the following detail description, and on the several figuresof the drawin s, similar parts are referred to by llkc referencecharacters.

Referring to the drawings, and specifically describing this device, thesame consists primarily of a shallow receptacle 1, the

greater portion of which is open to receive a I paper or similar pad 2on the surface of the sheets of which the prints are to be taken. I

The rear portion of the receptacle is formed with a housing 3 withinwhich is mounted the cylindrical inking roll or pad 4, said roll bemgloosely mounted upon'the stationary axle 5 fixed in the metal brackets 6attached to the sides of the receptacle housing 8. The roll 4, it willbe observed is preferably rovided with a silk covered felt pad 7 formkingpurposes and said roll is provided with a spring 8 which I isdesigned .to hold the lnk carrying member hereinafter described woundupon the roll or in its inoperative position. The numeral 9 designatesthe inkcarrying member hereinbefore referred to, the same conslstingpreferably of a sheet of rubberlzed or impervious material, attached tothe roll 4 by means of the wire 10 connected to its inner end. The frontedge of the carrying member 9 is provided with a stiffening rod 11 andwith a tab 12 by means of which the ink-carrying member is readilywithdrawn from the inoperative position within the housing 3 to acooperative position in relation to the pad 2. The circumferentialdimension of the inking surface of the ink roll 4.- is such that the.complete operative printing surface of the flexible member 9 will liein contact therewith when wound 7 upon said roll. The winding andunwinding of the carrying member upon the pad 7 0pcrates to ink theunder surface of this sheet and to maintain said surface adequatelyinked for carrying out the object of this apparatus.

Fixed to the bottom of the receptacle in advance of the ink roll 4 is atransverse strip 13, the upper edge of which is substantially in thesame horizontal plane as the axis, of the ink roll 4, and this strip ispreferably provided with a rubber band or equivalent member 14 whichconstitutes distributing means for spreading the ink upon the undersurface of the carrying member 9 as it is moved to and fro in the use ofthe device. To insure a proper coaction of the ink mem.- ber 9 with thisdistributer the cover of the housing 3 is provided at its forward edgewith a endent guide strip 15 the lower edge of which is located slightlyin rear of the strip 13 and slightly below the upper edge of the band 14carried by the last mentioned member 9 is drawn from the housing-3 ofthe receptacle by means of the tab 12 which latter is provided with anaperture 12' to enable the same to be engaged with a pin 16 projectingfrom the forward edge of the receptacle 1. In this manner theink-carrying sheet is held in operative position over and spaced fromthe pad 2 in the forward portion of the receptacle. The said receptacleis provided with suitable strips 17 at each side for thepurpose ofholding the pad or sheets of paper on which impressions are to be takenin proper position and furthermore, that one side of the receptacle isprovided with a notched heel strip 18 against which the heel of the footmay be placed. hen pressure of the foot is exerted on the ink carryingmember 9 it is depressed to contact with the sheet of the pad 2therebeneath and an accurate imprint of the foot is obtained. Thisimprint will disclose a shadowy impression of the foot and abnormalitiesof the foot will be indicated by the outline of the impression as wellas the difference in shading of the inked impression. In this mannerfallen arches, enlarged joints, calluses, and other conditions of thefoot are detected and the manufacturer of the footwear is thus enabledto properly fit the same according to particular conditions disclosed bythe imprint made in the manner above described.

It will be understood, of course, that upon removal of the foot from theink carrying member 9 the tab 12 is disengaged and said member isretracted into its inoperative position by the spring actuated roll 4,the tab 12 aforesaid coacting with the strip 15 to limit the movement ofthis member as shown in Fig. 8. Upon removal of the top sheet of the pad2, the apparatus is in condition for taking subsequent impressions.

In Fig. 7 a slightly modified form of ink distributing means is shown,the same consisting of a rubber cap 14 that may readily be substitutedor used in place of the rubber band 14 hereinbefore described, suchchange being within the purview of this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:

1. A device for taking foot impressions comprising a base of suitablesize to receive a foot, a rolled inking member normally disposedad'acent to the base in inoperative position an adapted to be unwoundfor disposition adjacent to the base aforesaid to receive the foot inthe taking of an impression thereon, means for temporarily holding theinking member in the operative position over the base and spacedtherefrom whereby only such portions of the under surface as aredepressed by the foot will contact with the base, and means for inkingthe surface of the inking member upon the side thereof adapted tocontact with the base when in the operative position aforesaid, theother side of the inking member being impervious.

2. A device for taking foot impressions comprising a base of suitablesize to receive a foot, a rolled inking member normally disposedadjacent to the base in inoperative position and adapted to be unwoundfor disposition adjacent to the base aforesaid to receive the foot inthe taking of an impression thereon, means for temporarily holding theinking member in the operative position over the base and spacedtherefrom whereby only such portions of the under surface as aredepressed by the foot will contact with the base, means for inking thesurface of the inking member upon the side thereof adapted to contactwith the base when in the operative ,position aforesaid, the other sideof the inking member being impervious, and means for withdrawing theinking member into inoperative position upon release from theholdingmeans whereby to render the impression made upon the baseaccessible.

3. A device for taking foot impressions comprising a base of suitablesize to receive a foot, an inking device for making an impression on thebase consisting of a flexible member a support therefor comprising anink supplying element with which the operative surface of the flexiblemember contacts normally to receive a coating of ink from the support,manipulative means for moving the flexible member into operativeposition over the base and into impression taking relation with respectthereto, and means for holding one end of the flexible member normallyspaced fromthe base when in the operative position, said support beingarranged to hold the other end of said member likewise spaced from thebase whereby only such portions of the under surface as are depressed bythe foot will contact with said base.

4. In combination, a sprin actuated inking member, an ink supplying rollabout which the inking member is adapted to be wound to ink a surface ofthe same contacting with the roll, and guide means coacting with saidsurface to hold the inking member in elevated position and constitutingink distributing means for said inking member.

5. In combination, a foot receiving receptacle for taking footimpressions, an impervious ink carrying member mounted at one end of thereceptacle and movable into position over ,the base of said receptacle,and revoluble supportin means for said carrying member or in ing theunder surface thereof.

6. In combination, a foot receiving receptacle for taking footimpressions, mean! mounted therein for making said impressionsconsisting of a flexible ink carrying member, means for supplying ink tothe operative Surface of said member, an ink distributing strip overwhich the operative surface of the flexible member is movable, and meansat the opposite side of the ink carrying member for holding the latterdepressed in firm contact with the edge of the strip aforesaid wherebyto effect distribution of the ink by said strip upon movement of theflexiblemember.

7 In combination, a foot receiving receptacle, means mounted therein fortaking foot impressions consistin of a-flexible ink carrying member,means %or supplying ink to said member, an ink distributing strip overwhich the flexible member is movable,

and means for holding the ink carrying member in cooperative relationwith respect to the strip. v 8. In combination, a foot receivingreceptacle provided with a pad receivin compartment, an inking devicearrange adjacent thereto and consisting of a spring actuated inkcarrying member, an ink roll upon which said member is mounted,manipulating means for moving the carrying member in cooperativeposition over the compartment, fastening means for holding said memberin the last mentioned position, and distributing means for distributingink on t he surface of the carrying member comprising a stationary stripand a cap covering the same for cooperation with the inked surface ofthe carrying member and a second strip coacting with the oppositesurface of the carrying member to hold the latter.

in contact with the first mentioned strip during movement of thecarrying member.

9. A foot impression taking device adapted to be used with'sheets orpads comprismg a flexible depressible sheet ada ted to be arranged oversaid pad and spaced therefrom, said flexible sheet having an under inkedsurface and an upper impervious surface, a sheet permitting depressionthereof, and means for holding the flexible sheet in the spaced relationaforesaid whereby to effect printing on the pad upon depression of saidflexible sheet into contact therewith.

10. In combination, a base, a flexible member adapted to be moved intoimpression yieldable support for said flexible '1) taking position oversaid base, and an inking roll on which said member is adapted to bewound including inking means on its surface, the inking surface of saidroll substantially corresponding in circumferential dimension to theoperative surface of the flexible member.

11. A device for taking foot impressions comprising in combination areceptacle having at one side a foot receiving compartment, an inkingcompartment at its other side, a flexible member mounted in said inkingcompartment and movable therefrom into the foot receiving compartmentaforesaid, and means for holding the flexible member spaced from thebase of said foot receiving compartment when moved thereinto.

12. A device for taking foot impressions comprising in combination areceptacle having at v one side a foot receiving compartment, a' housingatthe other side, a support in said housing, a flexible member connectedto said support, the housing having an entrance thereto disposed topermit of with- A drawal of the flexible member therethrough into thefoot receiving compartment, and yieldable means permitting the flexiblemember to be depressed bythe foot When-introduced into the footreceiving compartment upon said flexible member, said yieldable meansconstituting retracting means normally tending to return the flexiblemember into the housing. I

13. A device for taking foot impressions comprising in combination areceptacle hav-' ing a foot receiving compartment at one side, a housingat the other side, an ink carrying roll mounted in said housing, spacedguide means intermediate the housing and the foot receivin compartment,a flexible member connected movable between the guide means from thehousing and into the foot receiving comartment, said guide means holdingthe flexible member in spaced relation to the base of the compartment,and a fastening member to which the flexible member is adapted to beconnected to hold said flexible member in impression takin position.

In testimony w ereof I aflix my signature.

GILBERT G. ROSINO.

